WASHINGTON, USA: Applied Materials Inc. released the following statement in support of the “The Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act,” a bill introduced today by Senator John Kerry and Senator Barbara Boxer.
“This is a good step toward a final package of environmental legislation that will enable the United States to maintain its technology competitiveness, create green jobs, and achieve significant reductions in greenhouse gases,” said Mike Splinter, Chairman and CEO of Applied Materials.
“It is important for people to realize that solar-generated energy is the best pathway to achieve the goals of this bill. If we can combine this thinking on climate change with aggressive renewable energy standards and tax incentives for domestic manufacturing, the US can create an effective solution to the two great challenges of our time, energy and the environment.”
“There is good momentum now, with the Senate moving to follow up on the House of Representatives’ action earlier this year, and both working aggressively to support President Obama’s vision to establish the United States’ leadership in renewable energy and climate change. With all that is at stake, we urge Congress to work together in a bipartisan way to get a bill on the President's desk that he can sign soon, knowing it is the right thing for our country.”
Showing posts with label Applied Materials. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Applied Materials. Show all posts
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Applied Materials awarded multi-year service contract from ENN Solar Energy
SANTA CLARA, USA: Applied Materials, Inc. announced today that it has signed a five-year contract with ENN Solar Energy Co., Ltd. to support ENN’s solar photovoltaic (PV) module manufacturing facility in Langfang, China, which features an Applied SunFab Thin Film Line.
Through its highly flexible SunFab Performance Service program, Applied will provide ENN with continuous operating cost reductions while enabling optimal performance from the SunFab™ production line at a predictable cost that scales with factory loading. Applied’s SunFab Performance Service program has been selected by all of Applied’s customers currently producing single and tandem junction modules on SunFab lines.
“ENN sees joining with Applied Global Services as a powerful strategy to optimize the return on our investment in our SunFab line,” said Dr. Rick Wan, General Manager of ENN Solar.
“This agreement will allow us to replace much of our fixed cost infrastructure with a variable alternative that can flex as the market changes. This flexibility will free us to focus on successfully delivering high-performance, low-cost modules to our customers, helping them win in the marketplace."
“We believe the combination of the revolutionary SunFab Thin Film Line and SunFab Performance Service delivers the fastest path to the lowest cost-per-watt and maximized megawatt output,” said Charlie Pappis, vice president and general manager of Applied Global Services. “The fact that all of our SunFab customers producing modules have selected SunFab Performance Service for ongoing support is a strong testament to the value proposition we offer.”
Under the agreement, Applied will leverage its dedicated, world-class service infrastructure to provide ENN’s SunFab Thin Film Line with preventive and corrective maintenance, spare parts management, and analytical services.
Using an unmatched range of engineering, logistics and automation software technologies, highly experienced local support experts will optimize equipment performance, maximize manufacturing output and assure consistent cell characteristics. In addition, Applied and ENN will work together to develop continuous improvement programs that aim to increase module efficiency and lower operating costs.
Through its highly flexible SunFab Performance Service program, Applied will provide ENN with continuous operating cost reductions while enabling optimal performance from the SunFab™ production line at a predictable cost that scales with factory loading. Applied’s SunFab Performance Service program has been selected by all of Applied’s customers currently producing single and tandem junction modules on SunFab lines.
“ENN sees joining with Applied Global Services as a powerful strategy to optimize the return on our investment in our SunFab line,” said Dr. Rick Wan, General Manager of ENN Solar.
“This agreement will allow us to replace much of our fixed cost infrastructure with a variable alternative that can flex as the market changes. This flexibility will free us to focus on successfully delivering high-performance, low-cost modules to our customers, helping them win in the marketplace."
“We believe the combination of the revolutionary SunFab Thin Film Line and SunFab Performance Service delivers the fastest path to the lowest cost-per-watt and maximized megawatt output,” said Charlie Pappis, vice president and general manager of Applied Global Services. “The fact that all of our SunFab customers producing modules have selected SunFab Performance Service for ongoing support is a strong testament to the value proposition we offer.”
Under the agreement, Applied will leverage its dedicated, world-class service infrastructure to provide ENN’s SunFab Thin Film Line with preventive and corrective maintenance, spare parts management, and analytical services.
Using an unmatched range of engineering, logistics and automation software technologies, highly experienced local support experts will optimize equipment performance, maximize manufacturing output and assure consistent cell characteristics. In addition, Applied and ENN will work together to develop continuous improvement programs that aim to increase module efficiency and lower operating costs.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Top 10 suppliers of PV manufacturing equipment 2008: Applied Materials tops!
BEDFORD, ENGLAND: VLSI Research Inc. announced the ranking of the top 10 suppliers of PV manufacturing equipment worldwide for 2008.
Applied Materials goes straight to the number one spot in their first full year with revenues falling just short of $800 million related to its equipment for manufacturing crystalline solar cells as well as integrated thin film solar production lines.
Oerlikon Solar, the largest supplier of turnkey silicon thin film module lines in 2008, came in second place, GT Solar International, a supplier of turnkey solutions for polysilicon, wafer, cell, and module manufacturing equipment, followed closely. Rounding out the top five with revenues in excess of $500 million were Gebr. Schmid and centrotherm photovoltaics AG.
Source: VLSI Research Inc. PV-Solar
“The top 10 list is dominated by European companies with seven based in Europe. Applied Materials and GT Solar International are headquartered in the United States and Ulvac in Japan,” commented John West, managing director, VLSI Research Europe. “European equipment suppliers got a head start in PV Manufacturing equipment markets through strong European government incentives, forcing companies around the world to play catch-up”, West continued.
The PV capital equipment industry is complex and suppliers offer a wide range of solutions. During 2008, the PV equipment industry went through rapid growth and shaped into its current state.
The companies represented here are the top 10 companies of over 200 that VLSI tracks on an on-going basis. This top 10 ranking includes total 2008 calendar year worldwide revenues from PV equipment suppliers. The revenues of the companies with non-calendar year based fiscal years are adjusted to reflect 2008 calendar year revenues.
Some of the revenues are double counted because they include sales from turnkey lines that are then sold to end customers. The ranking includes revenues for polysilicon material, silicon ingot, silicon wafer, cell and module manufacturing equipment, as well as service and support revenues.
Applied Materials goes straight to the number one spot in their first full year with revenues falling just short of $800 million related to its equipment for manufacturing crystalline solar cells as well as integrated thin film solar production lines.
Oerlikon Solar, the largest supplier of turnkey silicon thin film module lines in 2008, came in second place, GT Solar International, a supplier of turnkey solutions for polysilicon, wafer, cell, and module manufacturing equipment, followed closely. Rounding out the top five with revenues in excess of $500 million were Gebr. Schmid and centrotherm photovoltaics AG.
Source: VLSI Research Inc. PV-Solar“The top 10 list is dominated by European companies with seven based in Europe. Applied Materials and GT Solar International are headquartered in the United States and Ulvac in Japan,” commented John West, managing director, VLSI Research Europe. “European equipment suppliers got a head start in PV Manufacturing equipment markets through strong European government incentives, forcing companies around the world to play catch-up”, West continued.
The PV capital equipment industry is complex and suppliers offer a wide range of solutions. During 2008, the PV equipment industry went through rapid growth and shaped into its current state.
The companies represented here are the top 10 companies of over 200 that VLSI tracks on an on-going basis. This top 10 ranking includes total 2008 calendar year worldwide revenues from PV equipment suppliers. The revenues of the companies with non-calendar year based fiscal years are adjusted to reflect 2008 calendar year revenues.
Some of the revenues are double counted because they include sales from turnkey lines that are then sold to end customers. The ranking includes revenues for polysilicon material, silicon ingot, silicon wafer, cell and module manufacturing equipment, as well as service and support revenues.
Friday, July 10, 2009
Applied Materials to demo power of scaling solar technology
Intersolar North America 2009, SANTA CLARA, USA: Applied Materials Inc. will showcase its strategy to make solar power affordable for everyone, everywhere, at the Intersolar North America event in San Francisco next week.
“Scale” is the key – scaling up power output through higher efficiency and bigger panels while scaling down cost through faster processing, tighter process control and lower material costs.
Applied is widely known for its award-winning SunFab Thin Film Line that produces panels with the world’s highest power output. Delivering more than 460 watts, each of these 5.7m2 panels has over three times the output of any other thin film glass panel on the market.
When used for large-scale applications, these panels can provide an entire manufacturing ecosystem, linking solar panel producers, utility companies and communities to attract local investment and create jobs for generating clean solar energy at a competitive cost.
Applied also serves over 40% of the crystalline silicon (c-Si) PV module manufacturing market with its broad portfolio of wafer and cell processing systems. By focusing on key steps of the c-Si fabrication process, Applied is working on providing new integration and automation solutions to enhance cell manufacturing.
New breakthroughs in the high-speed processing of ultra-thin wafers: wafer slicing, film deposition and integrated backend processing will enable lower manufacturing costs and superior cell properties.
“Scale” is the key – scaling up power output through higher efficiency and bigger panels while scaling down cost through faster processing, tighter process control and lower material costs.
Applied is widely known for its award-winning SunFab Thin Film Line that produces panels with the world’s highest power output. Delivering more than 460 watts, each of these 5.7m2 panels has over three times the output of any other thin film glass panel on the market.
When used for large-scale applications, these panels can provide an entire manufacturing ecosystem, linking solar panel producers, utility companies and communities to attract local investment and create jobs for generating clean solar energy at a competitive cost.
Applied also serves over 40% of the crystalline silicon (c-Si) PV module manufacturing market with its broad portfolio of wafer and cell processing systems. By focusing on key steps of the c-Si fabrication process, Applied is working on providing new integration and automation solutions to enhance cell manufacturing.
New breakthroughs in the high-speed processing of ultra-thin wafers: wafer slicing, film deposition and integrated backend processing will enable lower manufacturing costs and superior cell properties.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Americans call for more solar energy
SANTA CLARA: USA: As Americans prepare to enjoy the longest day of the year on Sunday, June 21 during the summer solstice, Applied Materials, a leading supplier of solar manufacturing equipment, has released a survey reflecting the general public’s understanding and opinions about solar energy.
The findings indicate that a majority of people surveyed believe in the potential of solar technology, and want the US government and utilities to do more to speed its adoption, although some have outdated views.
“The summer solstice is a good time to celebrate the unique power of the sun,” said Dr. Charles Gay, president of Applied Solar. “Applied Materials is working to build a better understanding of how solar technology can provide the country with energy that is efficient, beneficial and now cost-competitive for peak usage in specific regions.”
According to the survey, Americans are calling for more solar energy and faster integration of renewable power into the U.S. energy mix:
* Half of the people surveyed (50 percent) think the US Government’s goal to have 25 percent of its power generated by renewable energy by 2025 is too slow.
* Four out of five (81 percent) agree that solar energy should play a greater role in meeting our nation’s energy needs in the next five years.
* More than two-thirds (68 percent) think utilities should include solar electricity as a part of their energy generation.
* Just over half (52 percent) would be willing to pay more per month if their utility company increased its use of renewable energy. But many consumers (41 percent) would not be willing to pay more, demonstrating the important role that government incentives, to bring down solar costs, will have on advancement of the technology.
Dispelling myths and providing solar solutions
“Applied Materials’ solar energy strategy is to bring significant change to the solar industry by enabling lower cost-per-watt solutions for solar photovoltaic (PV) cell manufacturing,” said Gay. “Our goal is to make solar energy a more meaningful contributor to the global energy supply.”
One important step to meeting the company’s goal is to help educate the public about the true potential of solar energy and refute common myths about the sun as an energy source.
Considerable progress has been made advancing solar technology during the past two decades, although many in the survey were not aware of this. Applied Materials, for example, has introduced the SunFab Thin Film Line, a fully integrated production line for manufacturing the world’s largest solar panels.
A full-size SunFab panel measures 5.7m2, or four times the size of traditional panels, and covers an area about the size of a garage door. These larger panels will help increase solar energy output and drive down costs. Experience shows that increasing scale reduces costs–for each doubling of solar installations worldwide, the cost per watt of solar energy has declined by nearly 20 percent.
The survey also showed that Americans overestimate the amount of solar energy used in this country. One in five people stated that 20 percent or more of our energy comes from solar power. But solar energy accounts for less than 0.01 percent of US energy generation, even though solar is already cost-competitive with fossil fuels for peak demand in such places as Hawaii, California and New York.
Another misconception held by over half of the persons surveyed is that solar panel installations on homes are the most efficient way to harness solar energy. In fact, “solar farms” represent an underutilized source for solar energy.
The United States could supply its entire energy needs by covering just 1.6 percent of its land area with solar cells. In fact, putting solar cells on 1 percent of the area of global deserts would be sufficient to produce electricity for all the people in the world.
Germany and Spain lead the world in solar energy use, thanks to the revolutionary effect of government incentives. But one in four people surveyed believe that the U.S. is the world leader. Policy changes at the federal, state and local level can help the United States assume more of a leadership role in solar energy use.
Applied Materials, headquartered in the Silicon Valley, has the nanomanufacturing technology and capabilities to accelerate the growth of the United States solar market.
A single Applied SunFab tandem junction thin film line can produce enough panels to generate 80 MW of electricity each year, or enough to power over 35,000 homes during peak hours. In addition to the environmental benefits, a solar factory containing one SunFab line has the potential to generate an estimated $2 billion of economic development and create over 2,500 local jobs over five production years, according to an independent analysis.
The findings indicate that a majority of people surveyed believe in the potential of solar technology, and want the US government and utilities to do more to speed its adoption, although some have outdated views.
“The summer solstice is a good time to celebrate the unique power of the sun,” said Dr. Charles Gay, president of Applied Solar. “Applied Materials is working to build a better understanding of how solar technology can provide the country with energy that is efficient, beneficial and now cost-competitive for peak usage in specific regions.”
According to the survey, Americans are calling for more solar energy and faster integration of renewable power into the U.S. energy mix:
* Half of the people surveyed (50 percent) think the US Government’s goal to have 25 percent of its power generated by renewable energy by 2025 is too slow.
* Four out of five (81 percent) agree that solar energy should play a greater role in meeting our nation’s energy needs in the next five years.
* More than two-thirds (68 percent) think utilities should include solar electricity as a part of their energy generation.
* Just over half (52 percent) would be willing to pay more per month if their utility company increased its use of renewable energy. But many consumers (41 percent) would not be willing to pay more, demonstrating the important role that government incentives, to bring down solar costs, will have on advancement of the technology.
Dispelling myths and providing solar solutions
“Applied Materials’ solar energy strategy is to bring significant change to the solar industry by enabling lower cost-per-watt solutions for solar photovoltaic (PV) cell manufacturing,” said Gay. “Our goal is to make solar energy a more meaningful contributor to the global energy supply.”
One important step to meeting the company’s goal is to help educate the public about the true potential of solar energy and refute common myths about the sun as an energy source.
Considerable progress has been made advancing solar technology during the past two decades, although many in the survey were not aware of this. Applied Materials, for example, has introduced the SunFab Thin Film Line, a fully integrated production line for manufacturing the world’s largest solar panels.
A full-size SunFab panel measures 5.7m2, or four times the size of traditional panels, and covers an area about the size of a garage door. These larger panels will help increase solar energy output and drive down costs. Experience shows that increasing scale reduces costs–for each doubling of solar installations worldwide, the cost per watt of solar energy has declined by nearly 20 percent.
The survey also showed that Americans overestimate the amount of solar energy used in this country. One in five people stated that 20 percent or more of our energy comes from solar power. But solar energy accounts for less than 0.01 percent of US energy generation, even though solar is already cost-competitive with fossil fuels for peak demand in such places as Hawaii, California and New York.
Another misconception held by over half of the persons surveyed is that solar panel installations on homes are the most efficient way to harness solar energy. In fact, “solar farms” represent an underutilized source for solar energy.
The United States could supply its entire energy needs by covering just 1.6 percent of its land area with solar cells. In fact, putting solar cells on 1 percent of the area of global deserts would be sufficient to produce electricity for all the people in the world.
Germany and Spain lead the world in solar energy use, thanks to the revolutionary effect of government incentives. But one in four people surveyed believe that the U.S. is the world leader. Policy changes at the federal, state and local level can help the United States assume more of a leadership role in solar energy use.
Applied Materials, headquartered in the Silicon Valley, has the nanomanufacturing technology and capabilities to accelerate the growth of the United States solar market.
A single Applied SunFab tandem junction thin film line can produce enough panels to generate 80 MW of electricity each year, or enough to power over 35,000 homes during peak hours. In addition to the environmental benefits, a solar factory containing one SunFab line has the potential to generate an estimated $2 billion of economic development and create over 2,500 local jobs over five production years, according to an independent analysis.
Friday, May 29, 2009
IEC certification for Applied's world’s largest solar panels
SANTA CLARA, USA: Applied Materials, Inc. announced that the 5.7m2 solar photovoltaic (PV) modules produced by its SunFab Thin Film Line, using both single and more advanced tandem junction technologies, were awarded International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) certification, validating their exceptional performance under extended outdoor exposure.
Certification of these SunFab modules, which are the world’s largest available solar PV panels, unleashes an opportunity for the widespread incorporation of SunFab panels in utility-scale, thin film solar farms to further drive down the price of clean electricity.
“We expect 5.7m2 modules to become the standard for utility-scale PV power,” said Dr. Randhir Thakur, senior vice president and general manager of Applied Materials’ Display and SunFab Solar Business Group. “Applying SunFab technology to ultra-large modules creates an unprecedented opportunity to reduce both manufacturing and installation costs, transforming solar PV into a long-term solution to provide the world with affordable energy from a renewable source.”
Certification was awarded by TÜV InterCert, confirming that the SunFab modules meet IEC standards 61646 and 61730. “Applied’s 5.7m2 modules are four times bigger than anything we’ve ever tested,” said Sergizzarea, president and CEO of TÜV InterCert.
“We made modifications to the laboratory and added equipment to enable us to test modules this large. Creating a PV product of this size that can pass all of the IEC tests while maintaining mechanical and electrical integrity is an impressive feat of engineering.”
The quarter-sized 1.4m2 modules produced on the Applied SunFab Thin Film Line received IEC certification earlier this year. However, a full-size 5.7m2 panel designed to maintain high power output while subjected to years of exposure to sunlight, extreme temperatures, wind and precipitation was a new challenge.
Applied’s technology and engineering expertise in flat-panel display and architectural glass systems enabled it to deliver the critical uniform conversion properties required across large areas. An innovative, integrated bonded rail support structure strengthens the module, allowing it to withstand wind and seismic loads while enabling the reduction of installation costs by greatly simplifying the mounting structure.
Certification of these SunFab modules, which are the world’s largest available solar PV panels, unleashes an opportunity for the widespread incorporation of SunFab panels in utility-scale, thin film solar farms to further drive down the price of clean electricity.
“We expect 5.7m2 modules to become the standard for utility-scale PV power,” said Dr. Randhir Thakur, senior vice president and general manager of Applied Materials’ Display and SunFab Solar Business Group. “Applying SunFab technology to ultra-large modules creates an unprecedented opportunity to reduce both manufacturing and installation costs, transforming solar PV into a long-term solution to provide the world with affordable energy from a renewable source.”
Certification was awarded by TÜV InterCert, confirming that the SunFab modules meet IEC standards 61646 and 61730. “Applied’s 5.7m2 modules are four times bigger than anything we’ve ever tested,” said Sergizzarea, president and CEO of TÜV InterCert.
“We made modifications to the laboratory and added equipment to enable us to test modules this large. Creating a PV product of this size that can pass all of the IEC tests while maintaining mechanical and electrical integrity is an impressive feat of engineering.”
The quarter-sized 1.4m2 modules produced on the Applied SunFab Thin Film Line received IEC certification earlier this year. However, a full-size 5.7m2 panel designed to maintain high power output while subjected to years of exposure to sunlight, extreme temperatures, wind and precipitation was a new challenge.
Applied’s technology and engineering expertise in flat-panel display and architectural glass systems enabled it to deliver the critical uniform conversion properties required across large areas. An innovative, integrated bonded rail support structure strengthens the module, allowing it to withstand wind and seismic loads while enabling the reduction of installation costs by greatly simplifying the mounting structure.
Monday, May 4, 2009
Indian solar energy market outlook 2012 report
DUBLIN, IRELAND: Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Indian Solar Energy Market Outlook 2012" report to its offering.
Solar energy offers enormous potential for a tropical country like India where around 45 percent of households, mainly rural ones, do not have access to electricity, says the new research report "Indian Solar Energy Market Outlook 2012."
India receives solar energy equivalent to more than 5,000 Trillion kWh per year, which is far more than its total annual energy consumption. The country's geographical location, large population and government support are also assisting it to become one of the most rapidly emerging solar energy markets in the world. Consequently, the country is becoming a favorite investment destination for both local as well as global players.
Demand for solar products has been rising rapidly over the recent years, especially in rural areas, and is expected to continue growing substantially during our forecast period (2009-2012). The total number of solar lanterns in India is projected to grow at a CAGR of about 40 percent between 2009 and 2012.
"Indian Solar Energy Market Outlook 2012" provides a rational analysis and extensive research on the solar power industry in India. It thoroughly examines the current industry trends which are adding to the growth of solar power market of the country.
The report highlights the emerging segments of solar power industry and their market potential to serve the enormous population of the country. It will help clients to understand the market dynamics and get an insight of the current and future outlook of solar power market in India.
Besides giving projections on various energy indicators, the report also gives forecast on various segments of the solar power industry based on feasible solar industry environment in India.
These include:
* Solar Street Lighting System
* Solar Home Lighting System
* Solar Lantern
* Solar Photovoltaic Pumps
* Solar Water Heating System
* Solar Cookers
The forecast given in this report is not based on a complex economic model, but is intended as a rough guide to the direction in which the market is likely to move. This forecast is based on correlations between past market growth, growth of base drivers and possible impact of recession in the economy.
The report also includes detailed information about the key players in the solar power industry of India including BHEL, BEL, CEL, TATA BP Solar India Ltd, Moser Baer India Ltd, Applied Materials Inc, and Solar Signet.
Solar energy offers enormous potential for a tropical country like India where around 45 percent of households, mainly rural ones, do not have access to electricity, says the new research report "Indian Solar Energy Market Outlook 2012."
India receives solar energy equivalent to more than 5,000 Trillion kWh per year, which is far more than its total annual energy consumption. The country's geographical location, large population and government support are also assisting it to become one of the most rapidly emerging solar energy markets in the world. Consequently, the country is becoming a favorite investment destination for both local as well as global players.
Demand for solar products has been rising rapidly over the recent years, especially in rural areas, and is expected to continue growing substantially during our forecast period (2009-2012). The total number of solar lanterns in India is projected to grow at a CAGR of about 40 percent between 2009 and 2012.
"Indian Solar Energy Market Outlook 2012" provides a rational analysis and extensive research on the solar power industry in India. It thoroughly examines the current industry trends which are adding to the growth of solar power market of the country.
The report highlights the emerging segments of solar power industry and their market potential to serve the enormous population of the country. It will help clients to understand the market dynamics and get an insight of the current and future outlook of solar power market in India.
Besides giving projections on various energy indicators, the report also gives forecast on various segments of the solar power industry based on feasible solar industry environment in India.
These include:
* Solar Street Lighting System
* Solar Home Lighting System
* Solar Lantern
* Solar Photovoltaic Pumps
* Solar Water Heating System
* Solar Cookers
The forecast given in this report is not based on a complex economic model, but is intended as a rough guide to the direction in which the market is likely to move. This forecast is based on correlations between past market growth, growth of base drivers and possible impact of recession in the economy.
The report also includes detailed information about the key players in the solar power industry of India including BHEL, BEL, CEL, TATA BP Solar India Ltd, Moser Baer India Ltd, Applied Materials Inc, and Solar Signet.
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Indian fab policy gets 12 proposals; solar dominates
Just about 10 odd days ago, I had blogged about building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV)! I had also mentioned how solar/PV will be the next big story in India, with BIPV right up there at the very top!
Well, according to a published report on India Infoline, the Indian semiconductor and fab policy has attracted 12 major proposals, worth a whopping Rs. 93,000 crores!
A Press Information Bureau (PIB) release says that the Department of Information Technology (DIT), Government of India, has set up a panel of technical experts to evaluate the proposals.
The promoters will come up to the Appraisal Committee for sanction of subsidy under the scheme once they have reached the threshold limit of investment, as indicated in the guidelines of the Special Incentive Package Scheme.
A majority of these proposals -- ten (10) -- are for solar/PV. One proposal is for a semiconductor wafer -- from Reliance Industries worth Rs. 18,521 crores, and another for TFT LCD flat panels -- from Videocon Industries, worth Rs. 8,000 crores.
The 10 proposals for solar/PV are from: KSK Surya (Rs. 3,211 crores), Lanco Solar (Rs. 12,938 crores), PV Technologies India (Rs. 6,000 crores), Phoenix Solar India (Rs. 1,200 crores), Reliance Industries (Rs. 11,631 crores), Signet Solar Inc. (Rs. 9,672 crores), Solar Semiconductor (Rs. 11,821 crores), TF Solar Power (Rs. 2,348 crores), Tata BP Solar India (Rs. 1,692.80 crores), and Titan Energy System (Rs. 5,880.58 crores).
Does the Indian solar/PV story now start making some sense? It is very much in line to become the next big success story for India after the Indian telecom story!
Evidently, Reliance Industries is the major player in all of this, having proposed both a semicon wafer fab as well as a solar/PV fab. Lanco Solar, Solar Semiconductor, Signet Solar, Videocon, and PV Technologies are some of the other big players proposing to enter the Indian semiconductor/fab space.
Well, this is really great news for the Indian semiconductor industry! Further, it comes close on the heels of the announcement of the 3G spectrum policy and MNP policy by the government of India.
A few weeks ago, Dr. Madhusudan V. Atre, president, Applied Materials India, had mentioned that taking the solar/PV route was perhaps, a practical route for India to enter manufacturing. How true are those words!
Late June, I too had proposed, among others points, that Karnataka (and other Indian states) look at having some solar/PV fabs.
Dr. Pradip K. Dutta, Corporate Vice President & Managing Director, Synopsys (India) Pvt Ltd had also mentioned late June that it was too early to write off the Indian fab story. We now have the answer to that question of having fabs in India!
All of this should also excite those investors looking to enter India. The huge interest and subsequent proposals for solar/PV can also lead to India having some of its own solar farms as well!
The India Semiconductor Association should be congratulated for having made this happen. It is soon going to a year since the Indian government had announced the semiconductor policy. Now, with these mega proposals in place, maybe, we will see more investors in the Indian semicon and solar/PV fab spaces.
Top 10 Indian semicon companies review
Another interesting thought! Last year, around this time, I had prepared a list of the Top 10 Indian semiconductor companies. This particular blog has been among the most accessed.
Perhaps, a review is in order! Besides, several Indian players are beginning to make a mark, like Cosmic Circuits, SemIndia, etc. The list of August 2007 mostly had Indian design services companies. This feature of Indian design services companies dominating a top 10 list will probably continue for some more time, till all of these proposals bear fruit into concrete, productive fabs.
I am sure, with those mega investments coming into the Indian semicon wafer IC fab and solar/PV fabs, most of the companies would soon figure in any top 10 list!
Surely, 2009 should be quite exciting as all of this means a very positive future and outlook for the Indian semiconductor industry.
Well, according to a published report on India Infoline, the Indian semiconductor and fab policy has attracted 12 major proposals, worth a whopping Rs. 93,000 crores!
A Press Information Bureau (PIB) release says that the Department of Information Technology (DIT), Government of India, has set up a panel of technical experts to evaluate the proposals.
The promoters will come up to the Appraisal Committee for sanction of subsidy under the scheme once they have reached the threshold limit of investment, as indicated in the guidelines of the Special Incentive Package Scheme.
A majority of these proposals -- ten (10) -- are for solar/PV. One proposal is for a semiconductor wafer -- from Reliance Industries worth Rs. 18,521 crores, and another for TFT LCD flat panels -- from Videocon Industries, worth Rs. 8,000 crores.
The 10 proposals for solar/PV are from: KSK Surya (Rs. 3,211 crores), Lanco Solar (Rs. 12,938 crores), PV Technologies India (Rs. 6,000 crores), Phoenix Solar India (Rs. 1,200 crores), Reliance Industries (Rs. 11,631 crores), Signet Solar Inc. (Rs. 9,672 crores), Solar Semiconductor (Rs. 11,821 crores), TF Solar Power (Rs. 2,348 crores), Tata BP Solar India (Rs. 1,692.80 crores), and Titan Energy System (Rs. 5,880.58 crores).
Does the Indian solar/PV story now start making some sense? It is very much in line to become the next big success story for India after the Indian telecom story!
Evidently, Reliance Industries is the major player in all of this, having proposed both a semicon wafer fab as well as a solar/PV fab. Lanco Solar, Solar Semiconductor, Signet Solar, Videocon, and PV Technologies are some of the other big players proposing to enter the Indian semiconductor/fab space.
Well, this is really great news for the Indian semiconductor industry! Further, it comes close on the heels of the announcement of the 3G spectrum policy and MNP policy by the government of India.
A few weeks ago, Dr. Madhusudan V. Atre, president, Applied Materials India, had mentioned that taking the solar/PV route was perhaps, a practical route for India to enter manufacturing. How true are those words!
Late June, I too had proposed, among others points, that Karnataka (and other Indian states) look at having some solar/PV fabs.
Dr. Pradip K. Dutta, Corporate Vice President & Managing Director, Synopsys (India) Pvt Ltd had also mentioned late June that it was too early to write off the Indian fab story. We now have the answer to that question of having fabs in India!
All of this should also excite those investors looking to enter India. The huge interest and subsequent proposals for solar/PV can also lead to India having some of its own solar farms as well!
The India Semiconductor Association should be congratulated for having made this happen. It is soon going to a year since the Indian government had announced the semiconductor policy. Now, with these mega proposals in place, maybe, we will see more investors in the Indian semicon and solar/PV fab spaces.
Top 10 Indian semicon companies review
Another interesting thought! Last year, around this time, I had prepared a list of the Top 10 Indian semiconductor companies. This particular blog has been among the most accessed.
Perhaps, a review is in order! Besides, several Indian players are beginning to make a mark, like Cosmic Circuits, SemIndia, etc. The list of August 2007 mostly had Indian design services companies. This feature of Indian design services companies dominating a top 10 list will probably continue for some more time, till all of these proposals bear fruit into concrete, productive fabs.
I am sure, with those mega investments coming into the Indian semicon wafer IC fab and solar/PV fabs, most of the companies would soon figure in any top 10 list!
Surely, 2009 should be quite exciting as all of this means a very positive future and outlook for the Indian semiconductor industry.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Get ready for building integrated photovoltaics (BIPV)
Building integrated photovoltaics or BIPV! Hey folks, prepare yourself to hear more about this term and the technology for quite some time to come! Solar/PV will be the next big story in India, and BIPV should be right up there at the top!
While BIPV is not yet talked about a lot in India, though, it may surprise many that there has been a deployment in India, I am sure that BIPV will be doing the rounds very soon.
There's another interesting angle to the BIPV, rather, solar story. Can EDA play a role here? I will examine this angle some time later.
First, what is BIPV? According to PV Resources, BIPV is merely photovoltaic systems integrated with an object's building phase. They are built/constructed along with an object, or planned together with the object. Yet, they could be built later on.
The following BIPV systems are said to be recognized:
* Facade or roof systems added after the building was built.
* Facade integrated photovoltaic systems built along with an object.
* Roof-integrated photovoltaic systems built along with an object.
* "Shadow-Voltaic" - PV systems also used as shadowing systems, built along with an object or added later.
If there are more, kindly share the information with me!
Now, to India. Just recently, Dr. Madhu Atre, president, Applied Materials India, referred to the use of BIPV during a discussion. He said that for energy-efficient glass, you could save on AC costs, etc., by using building integrated photovoltaics (BIPV). I hope we take serious note of what Dr. Atre said!
Didn't they say green IT was the most used and abused term? We really love talking so much about green IT. Well, here's an outstanding example, and actually, an example very few have really bothered to look at, so far, at least.
Staying with India, very few know that SunTechnics India, a brand of Conergy Group, a leading supplier of solar system integration, completed the design and installation of India's first green housing project facilitated with building-integrated solar power.
The 58 kilowatt project was developed in partnership with the West Bengal Renewable Energy Development Agency (WBREDA) as an initiative in solar architecture for the Rabi Rashmi Abasan eco-friendly housing complex at New Town Kolkata, of all places! Power will be fed into the public grid and facilitate electricity needs for 25 residential buildings and a community center.
If anyone has any doubts about the scope and power of solar or BIPV, take a look at Nanomarkets' report, which predicts that the market for BIPV will reach over $4.0 billion in revenues by 2013 and surpass $8 billion in 2015.
Late last month, I had written about certain steps Karnataka and the other states could adopt as part of a semicon policy.
Do include BIPV in your plans!
Actually, BIPV is very much part of the Indian semicon policy as well. West Bengal is probably the first state to have successfully implemented BIPV in a project. Congratulations are due!
While BIPV is not yet talked about a lot in India, though, it may surprise many that there has been a deployment in India, I am sure that BIPV will be doing the rounds very soon.
There's another interesting angle to the BIPV, rather, solar story. Can EDA play a role here? I will examine this angle some time later.
First, what is BIPV? According to PV Resources, BIPV is merely photovoltaic systems integrated with an object's building phase. They are built/constructed along with an object, or planned together with the object. Yet, they could be built later on.
The following BIPV systems are said to be recognized:
* Facade or roof systems added after the building was built.
* Facade integrated photovoltaic systems built along with an object.
* Roof-integrated photovoltaic systems built along with an object.
* "Shadow-Voltaic" - PV systems also used as shadowing systems, built along with an object or added later.
If there are more, kindly share the information with me!
Now, to India. Just recently, Dr. Madhu Atre, president, Applied Materials India, referred to the use of BIPV during a discussion. He said that for energy-efficient glass, you could save on AC costs, etc., by using building integrated photovoltaics (BIPV). I hope we take serious note of what Dr. Atre said!
Didn't they say green IT was the most used and abused term? We really love talking so much about green IT. Well, here's an outstanding example, and actually, an example very few have really bothered to look at, so far, at least.
Staying with India, very few know that SunTechnics India, a brand of Conergy Group, a leading supplier of solar system integration, completed the design and installation of India's first green housing project facilitated with building-integrated solar power.
The 58 kilowatt project was developed in partnership with the West Bengal Renewable Energy Development Agency (WBREDA) as an initiative in solar architecture for the Rabi Rashmi Abasan eco-friendly housing complex at New Town Kolkata, of all places! Power will be fed into the public grid and facilitate electricity needs for 25 residential buildings and a community center.
If anyone has any doubts about the scope and power of solar or BIPV, take a look at Nanomarkets' report, which predicts that the market for BIPV will reach over $4.0 billion in revenues by 2013 and surpass $8 billion in 2015.
Late last month, I had written about certain steps Karnataka and the other states could adopt as part of a semicon policy.
Do include BIPV in your plans!
Actually, BIPV is very much part of the Indian semicon policy as well. West Bengal is probably the first state to have successfully implemented BIPV in a project. Congratulations are due!
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Practical to take solar/PV route: Dr. Atre, Applied
Solar/PV is perhaps, a practical route for India to enter manufacturing, contends Dr. Madhusudan V. Atre, president, Applied Materials India. Alternatively, another way to enter this field could be by having solar farms.According to Dr. Atre, India has a strong potential for manufacturing. The Indian scenario has the talent pool and an emerging middle class, along with the presence of system design and chip design companies. Only a fab seems to be the missing piece from this ecosystem!
Benefits of a fab include: fuels economic productivity, contributes to GDP and adds to national growth, creates jobs, helps set up the other expertise necessary for an ecosystem, and closes the loop between market, design, manufacture, test, customer.
Indian fab scenario
Commenting on the Indian scenario, Dr. Atre, says: "For PV, about $200-500mn is needed for a fab. If we can enter into manufacturing via the solar/PV route, the scale of investment required would be much less [than the investment needed for a wafer IC fab]. This can be practical route to enter manufacturing in India, and less complexity is involved, as compared to an IC fab." Another way of entering manufacturing is by having solar farms.
Applied's external face in India involves: Take leadership role in industry bodies; work with the government on various semiconductor and manufacturing policies; look for potential investments in start-ups; work with the academia on collaborative research in nanomanufacturing; be sponsors in key conferences; drive corporate social responsibility programs; and help enable semiconductor and solar manufacturing in India.
Touching on some emerging areas of interest, Dr. Atre highlights that packaging is very important in semiconductors. "We may look at some company in packaging R&D. We have invested a bit in Tessolve," he says. "We would also like to see the success of the nanotech lab in IIT-Mumbai, and see how it can help India." On a global scale, he notes that Applied would be setting up two-three SunFab lines with Masdar in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
Applied Materials in India
Headquartered in Bangalore, Applied has been present in the country for over five years. It has approximately 1,500 employees and associates. A liaison office was originally set up in May 2002. Applied Materials India Pvt Ltd (AMIPL) was set up in July 2003, and operations started in November 2003 with cost + model. It consolidated all Applied operations in Bangalore into ITPL (~92,000sqft). It also merged Brooks Chennai (~100RFTs) into Applied India operations. Applied currently has R&D centers in Bangalore and Chennai.
Next, Applied established site operations in Delhi (~5000 sqft) to support Moser Baer. Its key partners are Satyam, Wipro and TCS, on various aspects of engineering and software services. In Delhi, Applied has 25-30 people to support Moser Baer, where it has the first SunFab line up and running.
In Mumbai, it has set up a nanomanufacturing lab with IIT-Mumbai. "We have put in equipment worth $7-8 million there, and do R&D projects," adds Dr. Atre. The nano lab at IIT-Mumbai was inaugurated in November 2007 by Mike Splinter, president and CEO, Applied Materials.
Applied is also involved in the potential upgrade of SCL. "We are working with some other companies on how we can upgrade SCL. We are more at the backend to set up some capabilities," he says.
Applied Ventures makes investment in emerging technologies and companies. It has funded a couple of companies in the semi start-up stage. Applied Ventures looks at global investments.
Moser Baer is Applied's first customer in India. It has a 35-40MW assembly line. This is the first time that 5+m2 solar panels will be coming out. The panel will now have to be taken up to the production ramp. Dr. Atre adds that Europe was much advanced in solar/PV. Germany, especially, was far advanced in the implementation aspect, as well as Italy and Spain.
Nanomanufacturing simplified
Nannomanufacturing, as per Wikipedia, is "the near-term industrial-scale manufacture of nanotechnology-based objects, with emphasis on low cost and reliability." To manufacture at this level requires a lot of expertise, skills, etc., says Dr. Atre. Cost is definitely an important driver, and so is reliability, he adds. According to him, nanomanufacturing technology combines the two core strengths of Applied: nano + manufacturing.
Applied's vision has been to apply nanomanufacturing technology to improve the way people live. Its mission: To lead the Nanomanufacturing technology revolution with innovations that transform markets, create opportunities, and offer a cleaner, brighter future to people around the world.
Applied Materials is a global leader in nanomanufacturing technology solutions with a broad portfolio of innovative equipment, service and software products for fabrication of: semiconductor chips, flat panel displays (using TFTs), solar photovoltaic cells and modules (in crystalline and thin film vectors), flexible electronics, and energy efficient glass (BIPV). The last three categories fall under EE or the Environment and Energy Division.
Dr. Atre says: "We have the SunFab line for solar/PV. In flexible electronics, as an example, you can have solar cells wrapped around an object." As for energy-efficient glass, you can save on AC costs, etc., by using building integrated photovoltaics.
Core capabilities
Applied's core capabilities include: commercialize sophisticated systems and thin-film engineering, besides a global culture. "Our technological strengths include semiconductors, solar/PV cells and FPDs. We have nanomanufacturing technology as the common theme." Touching on the loss per watt, he says it is currently around $14, which needs to come down to at least $2 or one-fourth.
Applied makes systems used to produce virtually every new microchip in the world, taking care of thermal, etching, inspection, PVD, CVD and CMP. For LCD flat panel display systems, Applied offers a variety of systems, such as PECVD systems, e-beam array testers, PVD systems and color filter sputtering systems.
The processing panels can be up to 2.2x2.5 meters. For solar manufacturing, Applied offers crystalline silicon, flexible PV and thin-film line, or the Applied SunFab lines. For architectural glass and flexible electronics, it offers both glass and Web coating systems.
"We have three key businesses, silicon systems, displays and energy and environmental solutions," said Dr. Atre. These are supported by Applied Global Services.
Applied's goals for 2010 include: Expanded revenue streams, to become a $13-15 billion company; increased operating efficiency, with margins >25 percent, and increased cash flow, about >20 percent of revenue.
Friday, November 2, 2007
Applied Materials CEO on semicon sustainability and energy management
"The Indian semiconductor policy is really ground breaking. Hopefully, it will build great business." These comments from Michael R. Splinter, president and CEO, Applied Materials, were enough to indicate how much the Indian semiconductor policy, announced recently by the government of India, has caught the attention of global semicon majors.Mike Splinter was delivering his lecture at the Thought Leader Series organized by the India Semiconductor Association (ISA), where he also highlighted the needs of sustainability and energy management from a global perspective.
According to him, some things never changed in the semiconductor industry, such as: technical innovation being the most viable lever for productivity, end of optical lithography being imminent, no imminent change in fab economics ($/die), growth in complexities of products and applications.
"Through all of these times, the Moore's Law has persisted. The complexity of products have increased," he added. Another thing that hadn't changed was the growing need for sustainable practices.
Citing statistics, he said that the semiconductor industry was growing 5 percent this year, while the semiconductor equipment industry was growing at 3-5 percent during 2007. "Memory continues to grow very rapidly. NAND flash is a killer app," Splinter noted.
India, according to him, has a major role to play in the semiconductor domain. India's strengths lie in world class IC design and R&D capability, growing market for consumer electronics (CE), and an increasing need to address both global and industry challenges -- in terms of sustainability and energy use.
Challenge of sustainability
Touching on the growing importance of sustainability, Splinter cited The Economist, which reported that $70bn had been spent globally in clean tech research and funding. Further, the IPCC reported that the evidence of human caused global warming was equivocal.
While economic growth was driving demand and the BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) countries were accelerating it, there was also an increasing use of chips in consumer electronics products. This translated into an increasing use of energy. "All of these factors, together, make sustainability even more challenging," added Splinter.
Splinter gave an example of LCD TVs, which are likely to grow 65 percent this year. Now, 90 percent of the power in LCD TVs goes into the backlight. If new technologies could be developed, those would certainly assist in saving more power. Another example was that of servers, laptops and TVs together accounting for 8 percent of global power consumption. That's a lot of power, if the global power is estimated at 5TW or so. It needs to be reduced as well.
So what is the waste and energy impact of consumer electronics? For starters, there are increasing energy consumption and recycling challenges. Next, manufacturing requires a lot of water, energy and materials. Another impact is the waste management within the manufacturing value chain. Splinter said, "The environmental impact can be reduced by clean tech products and sustainable manufacturing."
Need for energy efficient chips
Energy definitely needs to grow faster than the global economy. There is also a need to think about the environment and waste management. There is a need to increase the energy efficiency in chips, instead of solely focusing on performance.
Splinter said the time had come to take major steps, such as producing energy efficient chips. Applied Materials itself will be working on reducing the energy consumption in all of its practices. The semiconductor equipment maker will also be adopting clean energy in all of its facilities. The time has come for all to work together on energy use, Splinter added.
On solar, he noted that it had not yet managed to achieve scale. However, Germany had strongly pushed it, providing manufacturing incentives. "The scales are now starting to happen in Europe, especially, Germany," he added. "There is pretty good motivation and incentive to deploy solar here, in India, as well."
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